Cutting gauge for hair clippers



April 4, 1950 JOHNSON 2,502,791

CUTTING GAUGE FOR HAIR CLIPPERS Filed Jan. 10, 1949 kww . FIG. 5

Patented Apr. 4, W550 asset UNITED STATES P'FENT OFFICE CUTTING GAUGE FOR HAIR CLIPPERS John F. Johnson, Middletown, Calif.

Application'january 10, 1949, Serial No. "70,130

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements inhair clippers and particularly provides a means .ior gauging hair cutting with a clipper toprovide a uniform taper upward from the neckline or temple, with the greatest degree of accuracy and with ease, making it possible for'almost anyone to clip hair neatly.

So far as is known no attachment orintegral gauge element has ever been applied to a barbers clippers and heretofore barbers have relied-on a comb to gauge the clipper, and which. at most, is not accurate or eiiicien-t, .being simply a makeshift gauging means.

With my invention a positive fulcrum is provided for the underside'of the clippenand this fulcrum is automatically extensible through friction with the skin of the person whose hair is being trimmed; the fulcrum retaining its position as the clipper is advanced, and retracting to normal position :as soon as the clipper with its attachment is released from the skin.

The invention incorporatesa two-part fulcrum with the two parts extensible ,to a considerable degree and with the parts maintained parallel at all times, and with the. rearward part retracting to a closed or normal position when not held; thus the clipper is advanced while .thefulcrum remains stationary, assuring uniformity in taper clipping as also for straightcutting.

The objects .and advantages of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide fulcrum gauge ,for hair clippers for gauging the taper of the hair from the hair line.

Second, toprovide agauge as outlinedconsisting of ashoe formed intwo parts and extensibly connected so thatone part of the shoe will maintain its positionhonthe skin While the clipper is advanced.

Third, to provide ,a gauge as outlined with means for retracting the extensible shoe when released from the skin.

:Fourth, to provide .agauge as outlined in-which the two parts of the shoe will be maintained in parallel relation irrespective of thedegree of extension.

Fifth, to provide agauge as outlined whichris normally retained in a retracted position and which is extended through cooperation with the skin and advance of theclipper.

Sixth, to provide a gauge as outlined in the form of an attachment which can heplaced on or removed from the clipperat will.

In describingthe invention reference will be had to .the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a clipper with my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 except that the shoe is in itsextended position with the fil' pp cutting at a higher level through the .aid of the fulcrum.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the invention in retracted position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the invention in extendedposition.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the invention showing the clipper fragmentarily.

The conventional clipper, which maybe of -the manual driventype or motor driven, includes a grip or handle ill, a cutter l l of comb like structure including aJbQttQm shoe 12 the :side edges iii of which converge upwardly and through the medium of which myinvention is attached bythe upwardly projecting ears H3 and which are formed integral with the forward shoe member lfiwhich is curved as indicated .inFigs. 1 and .2. The fulcrum ,or rear shoe member it is similarly curved with the two in retracted position forming substantiallya third .of-a circle.

Secured to the forward portion on top of the forward shoe asindicated at Ills an anchor and parallel-ingplate l8 having a lazy tong l9 with one terminal arm 20 pivotally anchored as indicated at El withthe companion arm 22 having a pivot 23 riding in aparallel slot 2 3 formed in the anchor and paralleling plate; the other end of the lazy tong having one arm '25 pivotally anchored to a second anchor and paralleling plate 26 as indicated at 21, this. Second anchor and paralling plate being fixed to the rearward portion of the rear shoe as indicated at 2B, and the companion arm '29 has a pivot riding in a parallel slot 30 formed in the other end of the second anchor and paralleling plate as indicated at 3!.

A light spring 32 has its respective ends anchored in the respective anchor and paralleling plates as indicated'at 33 and 34, and urges the two fulcrum-parts to a closed position as 'illustrated in Fig.3.

The underside of the rear shoe i6 is provided with'a friction surface, either in the form of a knurled surface as indicated at 35 in Fig. 5, or in the form of a friction facing 36, so that the rear shoe will maintain its position on the skin as indicated at 37 while the clipper is advanced as indicated at 38 in Fig. 2, the front shoe functioning as the gauge for initial cutting and the rear shoe functioning .as'the fulcrum and gauge when a greater elevation .of the clipper cutting edge is. desiredabut with the rear shoe gripping frictionally at the start of the cut and maintaining its position as the clipper is advanced, thus providing convenient and accurate control of the cutting of hair and providing continuous support for the clippers.

As will be noted, when cutting is started, the clipper cuts close to the skin as indicated in Fig. l, with the rear shoe in contact with the skin and the forward shoe slightly clearing. As the clipper is advanced, the front shoe acts as the gauge during the initial portion of the tapering process with the weight then falling entirely on the rear shoe which then acts as the gauge and fulcrum, so that the hair can be progressively cut from close to the skin to any desired length. When the clipper is lifted, the rear shoe loses its frictional grip and the spring 32 quickly snaps the rear shoe to its initial closed position shown in Fig. 1, ready for another operation. The attachment slips over and frictionally engages the 3,

sides of the clipper shoe.

I claim:

1. A clipper gauge for a hair clipper comprising a member having releasable attaching means for attaching the member underneath the clipper and including a fulcrum for swiveling the clipper about a transverse axis during taper hair cutting; said clipper gauge comprising two shoe members extensibly connected and including a rear shoe member having a frictional bottom surface to maintain its position on the skin as the clipper is advanced.

2. A clipper gauge for a hair clipper comprising a member having releasable attaching means for attaching the member underneath the clipper and including a fulcrum for swiveling the clipper about a transverse axis during taper hair cutting; said member comprising a front and a rear shoe member with paralleling means extensibly connecting the two members, and including means for retracting said rear member to closed position when the rear member is released, with the rear member maintaining its position through friction with the skin as the clipper is advanced during a hair cutting operation.

3. A taper cutting gauge for a hair clipper comprising; a front shoe releasably attachable to the underside of a hair clipper, and a rear shoe and means extensibly connecting said rear shoe to said front shoe and means normally urging said rear shoe to a retracted position, with said rear shoe functioning as a fulcrum for gauging the taper cutting of the hair; said rear shoe frictionally maintaining its position on the skin while the clipper is advanced to cut the hair.

4. A structure as defined in claim 3; said front and rear shoes being convexly formed on the underside and in combination forming substantially one third of a circle when the rear shoe is retracted.

5. A structure as defined in claim 3; said means extensibly connecting comprising a bracket for each shoe and secured thereto, a lazy tong having one arm at each end pivotally connected to the brackets on the respective front and rear shoes and with the other arm at each end pivotally connected in parallel slots formed transversely in said brackets in axial alignment with the pivotal connections for said one arm at each end, for maintaining the front and rear shoes in parallel arrangement.

6. A structure as defined in claim 3; said rear shoe having a frictional undersurface for maintaining its position while the clipper is advanced, and said means normally urging comprising a light tension spring having its respective ends connected to the respective front and rear shoes.

'7. A structure as defined in claim 3; said front and rear shoes being convexly formed on the underside and in combination forming substanitally one third of a circle when the rear shoe is retracted; said means extensibly connecting comprising a bracket for each shoe and secured thereto, a lazy tong having one arm at each end pivotally connected to the brackets on the respective front and rear shoes and with the other arm at each end pivotally connected in parallel slots formed transversely in said brackets in axial alignment with the pivotal connections for said one arm at each end, for maintaining the front and rear shoes in parallel arrangement.

8. A structure as defined in claim 3; said front and rear shoes being convexly formed on the underside and in combination forming substan tially one third of a circle when the rear shoe is retracted; said rear shoe having a frictional undersin'face for maintaining its position while the clipper is advanced, and said means normally urging comprising a light tension spring having its respective ends connected to the respective front and rear shoes.

9. A structure as defined in claim 3; said means extensibly connecting comprising a bracket for each shoe and secured thereto, a lazy tong having one arm at each end pivotally connected to the brackets on the respective front and rear shoes and with the other arm at each end pivotally connected in parallel slots formed transversely in said brackets in axial alignment with the pivotal connections for said one arm at each end, for maintaining the front and rear shoes in parallel arrangement; said rear shoe having a frictional undersurface for maintaining its position while the clipper is advanced, and said means normally urging comprising a light tension spring having its respective ends connected to the respective front and rear shoes.

10. A structure as defined in claim 3; said front and rear shoes being convexly formed on the underside and in combination forming substantially one third of a circle when the rear shoe is retracted; said means extensibly connecting comprising a bracket for each shoe and secured thereto, a lazy tong having one arm at each end pivotally connected to the brackets on the respective front and rear shoes and with the other arm at each end pivotally connected in parallel slots formed transversely in said brackets in axial alignment with the pivotal connections for said one arm at each end, for maintaining the front and rear shoes in parallel arrangement; said rear shoe having a frictional undersurface for maintaining its position while the clipper is advanced, and said means normally urging comprising a light tension spring having its respective ends connected to the respective front and rear shoes.

11. A shoe removably attachable to the underside of a hair clipper to function as a fulcrum for gauging the cut of the hair by the hair clipper; said shoe comprising a front portion attachable to the base of the hair clipper, and a rear portion functioning as said fulcrum and means rigidly extensibly attaching said rear por tion to said front portion and said rear portion having a friction undersurface to maintain its position on the skin as the hair clipper is advanced in cutting the hair.

12. A shoe removably attachable to the underside of a hair clipper to function as a fulcrum for gauging the cutaof the hair by the hair clipper; said shoe comprising a front portion and a rear portion; a lazy tong rigidly and extensibly connecting said rear portion to said front portion, and. a spring normally urging said rear portion to meet said front portion; said rear portion having a friction undersurface to maintain its position on the skin ,as the hair clipper is advanced in cutting hair.

13. Gauging means for a hair clipper comprising; a front member having means for atin alignment therewith exapertures of the respective connecting brackets,

and the other arm at each end pivotally connected through the slots; and a tension spring connecting the brackets; said rear member having a frictional undersurface to maintain its position on a surface as the hair clipper is advanced in cutting hair and functioning as a fulcrum for gauging the cut of the hair, with said spring returning the rear member to the front member when the clipper is raised.

JOHN F. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 330,535 Whittier et a1 Nov. 17, 1835 1,589,937 Buckmaster June 22, 1926 1,957,430 Adelmo May 8, 1934 2,092,153 Fewins Sept. '7, 1937 

